He’d failed. He’d been too caught up in his perfect morning with Luke, too comfortable leaving Eli with others, too…
“Noah?” Luke appeared in the doorway, concern etched on his face. “He’s asking for you.”
Noah couldn’t move. Couldn’t face his son, knowing he’d failed to protect him. Couldn’t process how quickly everything could change.
“We should have stayed here and let your dad run to the store,” Noah managed, his voice trembling with worry. He took a few deep, measured breaths, reminding himself to stay calm. The more he panicked, the more it would upset Eli. Noah hoped the opposite would be true, and he wouldn’t feel scared if he didn’t think he was “supposed to.”
“Hey, you can’t beat yourself up.” Luke stepped closer, steadying him with a hand on his arm. “It was an accident. It could have happened even if we were here. And he’s going to be fine, but he needs you right now.”
Noah nodded, forcing himself to move. Each step felt heavy as he made his way back to the living room, where Eli sat huddled in fresh clothes, clutching a mug of hot chocolate. His son looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes, lower lip trembling.
“I’m really sorry, Dad,” Eli said again. “Are you mad at me?”
The question hit Noah like a physical blow. “No, buddy.” He sat beside Eli, pulling him close. “I was just scared. When I saw you fall…”
“Drew got me really fast,” Eli assured him, snuggling into his side. “And Uncle Luke had a towel ready and everything.”
Noah’s throat tightened at how easily Eli referred to the others, how naturally they’d stepped in when he’d frozen. He kissed his son’s damp hair, breathing in the familiar scent now tinged with lake water.
“Try to finish your hot chocolate,” Noah said, his voice steadier than he felt. “Then maybe you should rest for a bit.”
“But, Dad?—”
“No arguments.” The words came out sharper than he intended, making Eli flinch. Noah softened his tone. “Please, buddy. Just for a little while.”
He felt Luke’s concerned gaze but couldn’t meet it. Instead, he focused on watching Eli sip his cocoa, cataloging every breath, every movement, reminding himself his son was safe.
Safe because others had been there when he wasn’t.
The thought settled like lead in his stomach, heavy with implications he wasn’t ready to face.
Noah grabbed Eli’s wet clothes off the floor, needing something to do with his hands. Through the window, he could see the other kids back on the dock, with Drew sitting guard. Eli wasn’t with them—he’d nodded off on the couch, exhausted from his ordeal.
“He’s fine, you know.” Megan’s voice was gentle as she joined him in the laundry room. “Kids have accidents. It happens.”
“I should have been there.” Noah smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from Eli’s shirt. “I’m his dad. I’m supposed to protect him.”
“Noah—”
“You don’t understand.” He gripped the edge of the dryer, knuckles white. “He’s all I have. If anything happened to him…”
“But nothingdidhappen,” Megan reminded him. “He got too close to the edge and fell in. It’ll be a learning lesson for sure. You need to remember he’s got more than just you looking out for him now.”
The words hit too close to the fears swirling in Noah’s mind. He’d let himself relax, let others take responsibility for his son’s safety. Let his growing feelings for Luke distract him from his most important job. He was so comfortable around this family that he’d chosen to be selfish and steal a little time with Luke rather than being there to watch his son.
“I need some air,” he muttered, easing past Megan.
He wandered out to the back deck, staring at the spot where Eli had fallen in. To his right, spilled milk had dried in the sun, leaving a pale stain on the gravel. Such a small thing, yet it felt significant somehow—a reminder of how quickly everything could change.
Voices drifted through the open window behind him:
“Are you sure Dad’s not mad at me? He told me to be careful, and I wasn’t.” Eli’s voice was still rough from coughing.
“No, buddy.” Luke’s response was immediate, gentle. “He was just really scared when you fell. Sometimes grown-ups need time to process being scared.”
“But you weren’t scared. You helped right away.”
“I was terrified,” Luke admitted. “Everyone reacts differently. Your dad loves you so much, Eli. He just needs a minute to remember that you’re okay.”
